Workcamp

WORKCAMP is volunteer project aim to protect and help develop the natural and cultural resources of a region. They encourage volunteers of all nationalities to work on a group project benefitting the environment and/or heritage protection – such a description one can find on the Internet (e.g. : polish website workcamps.pl).

I was involved in volunteering in secondary school. Since than I've done 6 workcamps - five in Spain and one in Greece. The camps are great opportunities to enrich experience in working in an international team and learn practical skills. It also gave me a chance to travel and meet different cultures (also known as volunturism)

CAT06, TRULLETS

17-31.07.2009 Algerri, Catalonia, SpainArchaeological work

My first Workcamp took place in Algerri, small village next to Lleida. The intentions of the project was to encourage tourism in the region and particularly promote sightseeing of the medieval castle in the village and its environs. Together with people from 15 countries (including South Korea, the USA, Armenia) we marked out the path to the castle, built the stairs up the hill, removed the vegetation from the ruins of the castle and clean up historical tanks for storing wine (trullets) dug out in a rock .

SVIAN092, ALCORNOCALES

Los Alcornocales Natural Park in Andalusian was the place of my second Workcamp – the place famous of cork tree forests (alcornocales) and paleolithic and neolithic sites with cave painting. As a volunteers, we equipped a new trail in the park with arrows, sighs and board maps and we built two observation points with tables and fences. Apart from working we attempted in many workshops, integration activities and presentations about our native countries, which we prepared .

ELIX14, NEA MAKRI ΙV

18.08-01.09.2011 Nea Makri, GreeceEcological programme

In Greece I took part in volunteer project, where we guard a forest from a fire lookout tower. Nea Makri is a holiday destination very close to Athens, well-known of the pine forests. The city is often mentioned in the news because of repeatedly spreading fire that threatens the capital of Greece. Unfortunately lot of the fire-raising are human caused. In that way people want to gain more space for buildings. Authorities of the region decided to help fire brigade and invited volunteers to search for the fire and alert the brigade in the case of spotting smoke.

CAT19, Vilajuïga, where the wine comes from

03-17.09.2012 Vilajuïga, Catalonia, SpainEcological programme

The Vilajuïga municipality is important producer of Catalan's vine. The Vilajuïga's governor decide to promote the region by organizing Workcamp, which aim was to increase rural tourism and teach people about winemaking. Volunteers helped with grape picking and preparation of The End of Harvest Season fiesta. At the same time the other group of volunteers renovated old dry stone wall and cleaned medieval road to a historical castle. In exchange for work we were given a chance to discover the beautiful region called Dali Land (from the name of Salvadro Dali)

SVIRI021, HORNILLOS DE CAMEROS I

Not many people know that in Spain there are located almost 10 000 confirmed footprints of a dinosaurs. In the village Hornillos de Cameros, in the Sierra Cameros moutains, I participated in fascinating palaeontological Workcamp, which purpose was to conserve a dinosaur footprints (most likely Iguanodons - a herbivorous dinosaur) from the late Cretaceous. The project was coordinated by palaeontologists from La Rioja University, who also give as lectures about dinosaurs footprints and the way they are studied.

SVIVA011, BANYS DE LA REINA

16-30.07.2014 Calpe, Alicante, SpainArchaeological work

In 2014 I attended in archaeological excavations in Banys de la Reina site, in Calpe, province of Alicante. The uncovered part of the site contains a ruins of Roman villa from Ist to Vth centuries with remarkable mosaics typical only of this region. We excavated the foundations of paleochristian church that had been built over the Roman villa around VIIth century. To commit to knowledge exchange authorities organized meeting of the workcamps from the whole region.